Europa Wins High Court Decision over Holmwood Drill

UK junior explorer Europa Oil & Gas reported Thursday afternoon (UK time) that it has been successful in its High Court challenge in relation to the drilling of an exploratory well at its Holmwood prospect on the PEDL143 license in the Weald Basin, Surrey, England.

In November Europa, along with its partners in the license, applied for an order to quash the decision of the appointed Inspector for the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government to dismiss an appeal, made by Europa, against Surrey County Council's refusal to grant planning permission to drill one exploratory bore hole and undertake a short-term test for hydrocarbons at the Holmwood prospect. On Thursday judge Mr Justice Ouseley gave judgment in favor of quashing the Inspector's decision at the Royal Courts of Justice, although he has granted Leith Hill Action Group leave to appeal to the Court of Appeal against his judgment.

Europa CEO Hugh Mackay commented in a company statement:

"We are naturally pleased with the judge's decision. Holmwood was assigned mean gross unrisked prospective resources of 5.6 million barrels of oil in a [competent person's report] published in June 2012, making it in our view one of the best undrilled prospects onshore in the UK.

"Above all, allowing conventional exploration to take place at Holmwood is consistent with recent government initiatives to promote hydrocarbon exploration in onshore UK. Were a commercial discovery to be made at Holmwood, not only would it materially add to Europa's existing production of 180 barrels of oil eequivalent per day from three existing UK onshore fields, but it would also generate substantial tax receipts for the government over the life of a well."

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